Change how decision makers support people with mental health conditions. Join NAMI Delaware on our mission to advocate for improved mental health.
Public policy makes a difference in the lives of both the people living with mental health conditions and the people in their lives. Changes in policy can mean better outcomes. Our advocacy efforts:
- Securing better funding for research.
- Protecting access to treatments and services.
- Fighting for mental health parity to ensure that mental illness is treated equally to physical illness in insurance plans.
At NAMI Delaware, advocacy remains a core part of our mission. We continue to work with partners, policymakers, and community leaders to strengthen Delaware’s behavioral health system and ensure that individuals and families can access the care and support they need.
Our current policy priorities focus on several key areas. First, we are working to strengthen Delaware’s behavioral health workforce and improve the behavioral health service continuum. Strengthening the workforce means developing a robust behavioral health pipeline, training and supporting providers within the state, while ensuring competitive wages for demanding roles that often experience high levels of burnout. Our goal is to achieve a system with low-barrier access to quality, responsive providers with limited wait times, so individuals can receive the right level of care, from early intervention and outpatient services to crisis care and long-term supports.
We are also advocating for increased awareness and use of psychiatric advance directives in behavioral health care. These tools allow individuals to document their treatment preferences in advance, empowering them to have a stronger voice in their care during times when they may not be able to communicate their wishes.
Finally, NAMI Delaware is working with partners to improve access to behavioral health services for individuals with private insurance. Too often, people face barriers such as limited provider networks, long wait times, or inadequate coverage. We support policies that promote true parity and ensure that behavioral health care is accessible, affordable, and treated with the same importance as physical health care.
Together, these efforts are part of our ongoing commitment to building a more responsive, equitable, and person-centered behavioral health system in Delaware.
If you would like assistance and believe NAMI Delaware can advocate for you, please call us at (888) 427-2643.
You can get involved by contacting your national or state elected officials. Below are links to help you find those serving your area.
GET INVOLVED
Contact elected officials
You can get involved by contacting your national or state elected officials. Below are links to help you find those serving your area.
Support current priorities
Download our full NAMI Delaware’s 2025 Policy Priorities brief.
Share your personal story
NAMI’s advocacy is powered by the personal stories of advocates. Share yours today.
SIGN UP FOR NAMI ADVOCACY TRAINING
NAMI staff are providing fact-based, proven Advocacy training to assist you in your work. We want to help you boost the signal as you educate and advocate for mental illness and mental health rights. Please sign up for one of our workshops.
OVERCOMING BARRIERS
NAMI Delaware understands reaching and sustaining recovery from mental illness requires overcoming the barriers that exist in Delaware, including:
- Insufficient spectrum of services that are disjointed and operate in silos
- Lack of community awareness of resources and services available
- Workforce shortages of provider, prescriber, and treatment professionals
- Lack of facilities and services offering admission to individuals with complex needs
- Delay in access to beds that often results in extensive wait time in ERs or being sent home
- Challenges with transition from youth to adult services
- Limited crisis services, transport, and response options
- Underrepresented populations lack culturally competent providers
- Limited support and information for family/caregivers
- Limited access to safe, affordable housing for individuals with mental illness
OUR ADVOCACY INCLUDES THESE POLICY PRIORITIES:
1. Access to Effective and Appropriate Treatment
People with mental illness should have timely access to clinically appropriate medications and evidence-based treatments.
2. Timely, Appropriate Crisis Services
Individuals experiencing mental health crises deserve access to timely, competent, and compassionate medical care during a psychiatric emergency.
3. Partnership without Reliance on Law Enforcement
Systems for community mental health and crisis response should provide equitable access and quality across the continuum of care, removing reliance on the criminal justice system.
4. Family Involvement in Treatment
Family members are a central resource in the treatment of children and adults living with serious mental illnesses and should be an integral part of facilitating mutually agreed upon treatment team goals, using their unique knowledge of and relationship with the individual to create better outcomes.
5. Array of Services and Supports for All Ages
Youth and adults living with mental illness should have access to an array of culturally competent treatment, services, and supports that include evidence-based interventions and promote resiliency and recovery.
